Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [111]
Yet rye as a whole grain, not as a flour, is easily overlooked by even the most devoted of grain lovers. German recipes pair the whole berries with red cabbage, tangy-sweet apples, and red wine. Or they marry the sour-sweet grain with red bell peppers and raisins. For this book, I combined this northern grain with the flavors of the Mediterranean, as in Tomato-Rye Risotto with Cumin and Chorizo and in Leek Salad with Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Rye Berries.
Ultimately, it was my longing for the tempting chew of German whole grain breads, especially the slow-rising rye breads of my childhood, that made me into the food writer I am today. While I desperately stuffed my suitcases to the hilt, carrying huge bread loaves across the Atlantic—much to the amusement of customs staff—they would always disappear faster than I could slice them. And then what? Before long, I was baking bread, soon to be followed by grinding my own flour in a grain mill (see “My Life with Two Grain Mills”). And last but not least, I created a traditional German sourdough starter to give low-gluten rye flour its lift and a delicious flavor boost. Naturally, it is made from water and rye flour, nothing else.
Chapter 7
SWEET ENDINGS
Exploring after-dinner treats with whole grains introduces a culinary universe, intensely flavorful and textured. Some are creamy revelations with an intriguing bite, others are surprisingly soft and comforting creations. And sometimes you won’t even know you just had whole grains for dessert. And why should you? First and foremost, dessert should be the splendid crowning of a simple or a lavish meal.
In this chapter, you will find recipes for a Greek-inspired walnut cake with barley, easily assembled when the fancy strikes. And a luscious dark chocolate cake, made with naturally sweet white whole wheat flour. Your guests can play the guessing game to pin down the secret ingredient. Or serve a plate of tiny honey-sweetened almond cantuccini, perfect after-dinner bites. Are you a fan of chilled rice pudding? Try a stunning purple-colored one, garnished with a rose water–date topping. Or impress your guests with an intensely fruity olive oil cake, studded with Grand Marnier–plumped figs.
I will also share a few desserts that contain no grains at all. I include them because they pair beautifully with whole grain dishes in the book; plus these desserts are effortless creations that have served me well over the years for surprise guests. And, as you already know from reading this book, I’m obsessive about whole grains only to a point.
INTOXICATING FRUIT
Strazzate (Italian Chocolate-Almond Cookies)
Honey-Almond Cantuccini
Purple Rice Pudding with Rose Water Dates
Greek Yogurt Ice Cream
Orange-Rosemary Cookies with Olive Oil
Riesling Zabaglione over Red Currants
Almond-Peach Clafouti
Wheat Berry Fools with Grand Marnier Figs
Greek Walnut-Barley Cake
Dark Chocolate Cake with Amaretto
Ricotta Millet Pudding with Warm Raspberry Compote
Crème au Chocolat with Brandied Blackberries
Amaranth-Walnut Cookies with Brandy
Lemon-Scented Olive Oil Cake with Plumped Figs
Pomegranate Yogurt Parfait with a Kick
Artisanal Fruit Bread
Whole Wheat and Butter Tart Crust
Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart with Walnuts
MILLET: SWEET, AND WAITING TO BE SERVED
Intoxicating Fruit
I like my food tipsy. I dash, drizzle, and splash into my pots and pans any chance I get—volatile spirits, beer, wine, you name it—for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don’t know how it all got started. According to my mom, in the days of yore, impoverished Greek peasant women pacified their screaming progeny with ouzo, the classic anise-flavored liqueur. It wasn’t because they intended to create early alcohol dependency, but it was a last resort when they badly needed to tend to their fields and the small bundles wouldn’t stop crying. Desperate to get to work, they would dab a little ouzo onto a piece of cotton for the babies to suck on, putting them quickly to sleep.
Considering the passion with which my mom shares this story, I have